Exam Angst: The Practice Provincial

12 February 2016Liam B, Ellis ‘16

Last Thursday morning, Brentwood students in Grades 10 through 12 were feverishly reviewing literary terms and Canadian trivia before the looming practice provincial English and Social Studies exams. Designed to prepare students for the rigours of provincial testing, this year’s exams were set up online in order to mimic the provincial format. For many new students, this was the first taste of an exam at Brentwood, and perhaps the first formal exam of their lives. It is no secret that exams are trying ordeals, and this one was no exception. Interviewed students reported feeling “nervous”, “flustered,” and even “solipsistic” during the experience – And I thought it was just me! Opinion was divided as to whether the exam was helpful or unnecessary. While most students thought it had been “a good experience” and were happy that it was worth the percentage equivalent of a “normal test,” others said that they “didn’t have enough time to prepare.” I asked our director of academics, Mrs. Murtland, about the philosophy behind having a preparatory exam before the provincial exams. “Going through the experience of sitting through a mock exam in the same conditions they will face during a provincial exam puts students’ minds at ease,” she said. She believes that students “learn what to expect” in the dreaded provincials after writing Thursday’s exam. I personally learned that I need to type faster, and, as Mr. Collis puts it, “Hurry! Hurry hard!” Liam B, Ellis ‘16

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